The Georgia High School Sports Association’s A Division II state championship series is set to pit Emanuel County Institute against Lanier County in a clash that promises fireworks.
For the Bulldogs of Emanuel County Institute, the matchup marks their third appearance on the state’s biggest stage, a milestone that has been accompanied by a mix of nostalgia and ambition. Their previous trips ended without a trophy, including a heartbreaking loss to Schley County in 2015 and a narrow defeat in a Game Three showdown against Charlton County in 2023.
Past heartbreak fuels present ambition
Head coach Brooks Collins, who has been part of both prior campaigns, reflects on those experiences, noting how the memory of an electric atmosphere that drew half the county’s population has only deepened the team’s resolve.
Lanier County arrives as the back‑to‑back reigning champion, bringing with it a tradition of dominance and a crowd that is expected to swell the stands of J.I. Clements Stadium on the Georgia Southern campus.
Game day details
The opening game is slated for 11 a.m., a timing chosen to accommodate families and students alike, and will be played under the historic arches of the stadium that has become a pilgrimage site for Bulldog fans.
Seniors Jackson Kennedy and Tuff Boddiford, who have been teammates since their freshman year, speak of the championship as the pinnacle of their high school careers, with Kennedy citing the lessons from past appearances and Boddiford calling the prospect of playing in a state title game ‘the best moment of his life.’